In performing medical surgical procedures, it is often necessary to elevate limbs or other body appendages. Raising a body part is required for changing dressing, performing surgery, placing a cast or ease in bandaging. Elevation of a limb is sometimes necessary to facilitate healing or improved blood circulation. Hospitals and medical facilities have used various methods to raise and support a body appendage. The simplest method is having the doctor's assistant or surgical nurse holds the limb or appendage off the operating or examining table during the treatment. A "Chinese finger trap" is used in some hospitals. One end of the Chinese finger trap is attached to a finger or toe and the limb is raised off the table by a hook attached to the other end of the Chinese trap. Another device for raising a body part is a shoulder suspension kit. The shoulder suspension kit uses a mitten and a shoulder holder attached to a hook. A saw horse with rubber padding has also been used to hold up a leg or arm during a medical procedure such as changing a cast. During any of these procedures, and especially during surgery, it is critical that the limb be held firmly and steadily.
Adjustable tables are known and used for various industrial and consumer purposes. Tables with folding legs attached to a tabletop are well known, a card table, for example. Tables with two pairs of legs pivoting in a scissors-like action across or axial to each other are also well known, folding TV trays for example. Tisbo, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,901 disclose a foldable tray table of modular construction with a tray having an underside with a pair of first legs and second legs connected thereto. The upper end of each first leg has a journal pin adapted for being snap-fit between one pair of journal mountings formed on the underside of the tray. A chair mounted adjustable leg support is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,221 to Stander. An adjustable positioning device for industrial purposes utilizing screw mechanisms is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,138 to Hirose.
A height adjustable table with multiple pairs of cross-mounted legs and controlled by pivotally adjustable cross braces is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,717 to Kinnebrew. The height of the collapsible footrest is controlled by a latch mechanism, that when released, allows the footrest to spring upward. A scissor type mobile tool cart is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,749 to Collier. The height of the cart is controlled by a series of lock notches at the lower portion of the cart, allowing the bottom portion of one pair of leg ends to be moved. These legs pivotally adjust with a second group of legs pivotally attached to the bottom of the cart and to the bottom of the cart tray.
What is needed is a medical limb rest that can steadily and securely support a body part or limb in a raised positioned so that surgical or medical treatment can take place. A medical limb rest that can securely and firmly support the body appendage above the operating or examining table without adding stress to the limb would be beneficial.